NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in Brussels today that working to build a stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance is one of the goals of the upcoming meeting of foreign ministers of the military alliance's members.
"Our priorities are clear, we need to build a stronger, fairer and more lethal NATO. That is what we need to secure our future. That is why the ministers are here this week. To ensure that we are aligned and actively working towards our common goal," Rutte said at a press conference at the alliance's headquarters.
A day before the start of a two-day meeting of the member states' foreign ministers at NATO headquarters, Rutte said that the focus of the gathering would be "strengthening the collective defense" of the Western military alliance.
"It is the foundation on which NATO is built and remains our number one priority. We come together at an extremely important moment for our common security. With challenges too great for any of us to handle alone," Rutte said.
Rutte said that NATO allies would continue to send support to Ukraine, noting that in the first three months of this year they had already pledged more than 20 billion euros in security assistance for 2025.
"The threat from Russia remains. Russia continues to work closely with China, Iran and North Korea in ways that not only harm Ukraine, but also pose risks to Alliance members and around the world. These and other actors are working to destabilize our societies through sabotage of underwater infrastructure, cyberattacks, assassination attempts and other means," Rutte said.
He once again expressed his belief that NATO will survive, with the US as its full member.
"I am absolutely convinced that this alliance will survive, with the US in it. Their commitment (to NATO) is absolutely clear," Rute said.
At a time when European allies are concerned that Donald Trump's administration could withdraw from Europe, Rutte said that America's commitment to NATO "comes with a clear expectation" that the alliance's European members and Canada will start to allocate more funds for defense.
Rutte praised Trump for his actions to end the war in Ukraine.
"I fully support the efforts undertaken by the United States to bring this terrible war to a just and lasting end. As well as the efforts of the United Kingdom, France and others to contribute to securing a lasting peace when the time comes," said the former Dutch Prime Minister.
He also sought to downplay Russia's rejection of the US proposal for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying that Moscow's demands "should not be taken too seriously."
Russia has rejected the US initiative, claiming it does not meet its key conditions, which include NATO's withdrawal to the alliance's borders in 1997.
Rutte described such demands as part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's negotiating tactics, saying that Western allies "should not overreact to every statement from Moscow."
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